Low total track length for large sensor format

ABSTRACT

Lens assemblies comprising from an object side to an image side, seven lens elements numbered L1-L7; an optical window; and an image sensor having a sensor diagonal length (SDL), wherein an exemplary lens assembly has a total track length TTL that includes the optical window an effective focal length EFL and a field of view (FOV), wherein TTL/EFL&lt;1.100, wherein TTL/SDL&lt;0.64, wherein FOV&lt;90 degrees, wherein a normalized thickness standard deviation constant T_STD and a central thickness CT of at least three of the seven lens elements complies with T_STD/CT&lt;0.065, and wherein a focal length f1of lens element L1 fulfills f1/EFL&lt;0.95.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 371 application from international patent application PCT/IB2020/056923 filed Jul. 22, 2020, and is related to and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/889,633 filed Aug. 21, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to optical lenses, and more particularly, to miniature lens assemblies.

BACKGROUND

Digital camera modules are now standard in a variety of host devices. Such host devices include cellular telephones (smartphones), personal data assistants (PDAs), computers, and so forth. Cameras in smartphones in particular require a compact imaging lens system for good quality imaging and with a small total track length (TTL) relative to the size of the image sensor in such cameras. The image sensor size can always be expressed by the sensor diagonal, SDL.

SUMMARY

In various exemplary embodiments, there are disclosed lens assemblies comprising: from an object side to an image side, seven lens elements numbered L1-L7, an optical window and an image sensor having a sensor diagonal length (SDL), wherein an exemplary lens assembly has a total track length TTL that includes the optical window, an effective focal length (EFL) and a field of view (FOV), wherein TTL/EFL<1.100, wherein TTL/SDL<0.64, wherein FOV<90 degrees, wherein a normalized thickness standard deviation constant T_STD and a central thickness CT of at least three of the seven lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.065, and wherein a focal length f₁ of lens element L1 fulfills f₁/EFL<0.95.

In an embodiment, D/2 is an aperture radius and wherein a sign of z(r) from z(0.85*D/2) to z(D/2) is positive for surfaces LO₁, LI₁ of L1 and surfaces LO₂, LI₂ of L2, and negative for surfaces LO₄, LI₄ of L4, LO₅, LI₅ of L5 LO₆, LI₆ of L6 and LO₇, LI₇ of L7.

In some embodiments, ach element has a clear aperture (CA) and wherein a CA of lens elements L3 or L4 is the smallest of all CAs in the lens assembly.

In some embodiments, TTL/EFL<1.090.

In some embodiments, TTL/EFL<1.083.

In some embodiments, TTL/SDL<0.63.

In some embodiments, TTL/SDL<0.61.

In some embodiments, lens element L1 is convex on the object side.

In some embodiments, the lens elements have, starting with lens element L1, a power sign sequence of positive-negative-positive-negative-positive-positive-negative.

In some embodiments, the CT of at least 6 of the 7 lens elements complies CT/TTL<0.07.

In some embodiments, the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.11.

In some embodiments, the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.10.

In some embodiments, T_STD/CT<0.05.

In some embodiments, f₁/EFL<0.9.

In some embodiments, f₁/EFL<0.85;

In some embodiments, a focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>4.0.

In some embodiments, focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>6.0.

In some embodiments, focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>8.0.

In some embodiments, a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>15.0.

In some embodiments, a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>30.0.

In some embodiments, a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>45.0.

In some embodiments, a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.015.

In some embodiments, a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.01.

In some embodiments, a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.007.

In some embodiments, SDL=12 mm and FOV<82.1 degrees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Non-limiting examples of embodiments disclosed herein are described below with reference to figures attached hereto that are listed following this paragraph. Identical structures, elements or parts that appear in more than one figure are generally labeled with a same numeral in all the figures in which they appear. The drawings and descriptions are meant to illuminate and clarify embodiments disclosed herein and should not be considered limiting in any way. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a lens assembly disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an optical lens system disclosed herein and numbered 100. Embodiment 100 comprises in order from an object side to an image side a plurality of lens elements (here exemplarily seven lens elements numbered L1-L7) with a common optical axis 102. The lens further comprises three aperture stops marked S1 and two blocking surfaces S8 and S9. Lens element surfaces are marked “Si”, with S2 marking an object side surface of first lens element L1 and S18 marking an image side of lens element L7. Lens 100 further comprises an optional glass window 104 disposed between surface S18 and an image sensor 106 for image formation of an object. Image sensor 106 has a size characterized by an image sensor diagonal SDL.

The TTL is defined as the distance from the S₁ to the image sensor. FIG. 1 also shows a back focal length (BFL), defined as the distance from the last surface of the last lens element S_(2N) to the image sensor.

For convenience in some equations and relations presented below, lens element surfaces are also marked “LO_(i)” on the object side surface of lens element number i and “LI_(i),” on the image side surface of lens element number i.

Surface Types

Surface types are defined in Table 1 and the coefficients for the surfaces are in Table 2:

a) Plano: flat surfaces, no curvature

b) Q type 1 (QT1) surface sag formula:

$\begin{matrix} {\mspace{79mu}{{{z(r)} = {\frac{{cr}^{2}}{1 + \sqrt{1 - {\left( {1 + k} \right)c^{2}r^{2}}}} + {D_{con}(u)}}}\mspace{79mu}{{D_{con}(u)} = {u^{4}{\sum\limits_{n = 0}^{N}{A_{n}{Q_{n}^{con}\left( u^{2} \right)}}}}}\mspace{79mu}{{u = \frac{r}{r_{norm}}},{x = u^{2}}}\begin{matrix} {\mspace{79mu}{{Q_{0}^{con}(x)} = 1}} & {Q_{1}^{con} = {- \left( {5 - {6x}} \right)}} & {Q_{2}^{con} = {15 - {14{x\left( {3 - {2x}} \right)}}}} \end{matrix}\mspace{79mu}{Q_{3}^{con} = {- \left\{ {35 - {12{x\left\lbrack {14 - {x\left( {21 - {10x}} \right)}} \right\rbrack}}} \right\}}}\mspace{79mu}{Q_{4}^{con} = {70 - {3x\left\{ {168 - {5{x\left\lbrack {84 - {11{x\left( {8 - {3x}} \right)}}} \right\rbrack}}} \right\}}}}{Q_{5}^{con} = {- \left\lbrack {126 - {x\left( {1260 - {11x\left\{ {420 - {x\left\lbrack {720 - {13{x\left( {45 - {14x}} \right)}}} \right\rbrack}} \right\}}} \right)}} \right\rbrack}}}} & \left( {{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 1} \right) \end{matrix}$

where {z, r} are the standard cylindrical polar coordinates, c is the paraxial curvature of the surface, k is the conic parameter, r_(norm) is generally one half of the surface's clear aperture, and A_(n). are the polynomial coefficients shown in lens data tables. z-axis is positive towards image.

In this specification, the term “RMO_(i),” refers to the aperture radius of a surface LO_(i). The term “RMI_(i),” refers to the aperture radius of a surface LI_(i).

In this specification, the term “normal thickness” (NT) is a function of r marked NT_(i)(r), and refers to the distance between the two surfaces of a lens element at coordinate r along the normal vector of the surface closer to object. Several functions and constants are defined per normal thickness:

For r=0, NT_(i)(r=0) is defined as the central thickness (CT) of lens element i (CT_(i))

A “thickness average” (T_AVG_(i)) constant is given by:

$\begin{matrix} {{T\_ AVG}_{i} = {\frac{1}{N}{\sum\limits_{k = 0}^{N}{{NT}_{i}\left( \frac{k \cdot {RMO}_{i}}{N} \right)}}}} & \left( {{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 2} \right) \end{matrix}$

where k is a discrete variable that runs from 0 to N, where N is an integer >10 (for this and all other functions and constants below).

A normalized thickness standard deviation (T_STD_(i)) constant is given by:

$\begin{matrix} {{T\_ STD}_{i} = {\frac{1}{{RMO}_{i}}\sqrt{\frac{1}{N}{\sum\limits_{k = 0}^{N}\left( {{{NT}_{i}\left( \frac{k \cdot {RMO}_{i}}{N} \right)} - {T\_ AVG}_{i}} \right)^{2}}}}} & \left( {{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 3} \right) \end{matrix}$

where k is a discrete variable that runs from 0 to N, and where T_AVG_(i) is defined as in (Eq.2).

In this specification, a “gap” or an “air gap” refers to the space between consecutive lens elements. Several functions and constants per gap are defined:

A “Gap_(i)(r)” function (for r=0, an “on-axis gap” OA_Gap_(i)) is defined as the thickness LI_(i) Gap_(i)(r)=OA_Gap_(i)+z(r) of LI_(i)—z(r) of LO_(i+1), where z(r) is it standard polar coordinate z. OA_Gap,(r=0) of LI_(i) is the air thickness which is the air gap for r=0.

A “gap average” (G_AVG_(i)) constant is given by:

$\begin{matrix} {{G\_ AVG}_{i} = {\frac{1}{N}{\sum\limits_{k = 0}^{N}{{Gap}_{i}\left( \frac{{k \cdot R}\;\min_{i}}{N} \right)}}}} & \left( {{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 4} \right) \end{matrix}$

where k is a discrete variable that runs from 0 to N, where N is an integer >10, and where Rmin_(i) is the minimum aperture radius value of surfaces {RMI_(i), RMO_(i+1)};

A normalized gap standard deviation (G_STD_(i)) constant is given by:

$\begin{matrix} {{G\_ STD}_{i} = {\frac{1}{R\;\min_{i}}\sqrt{\frac{1}{N}{\sum\limits_{k = 0}^{N}\left( {{{Gap}_{i}\left( \frac{{k \cdot R}\;\min_{i}}{N} \right)} - {G\_ AVG}_{i}} \right)^{2}}}}} & \left( {{Eq}.\mspace{14mu} 5} \right) \end{matrix}$

and G_AVG, is defined as in (Eq.4).

TABLE 1 EFL = 6.75 mm, F# = 1.80, HFOV = 41.0 deg. Aperture Curvature Central Radius Focal Surface # Comment Type Radius Thickness (D/2) Material Index Abbe # Length f 1 A. S Plano Infinity −0.908 1.880 2 L₁ QT1 2.331 0.965 1.910 Plastic 1.54 55.9 6.55 3 5.744 0.032 1.800 4 L₂ QT1 4.828 0.208 1.790 Plastic 1.67 19.4 −13.88 5 3.122 0.289 1.630 6 L₃ QT1 5.131 0.452 1.620 Plastic 1.54 55.9 17.40 7 10.834 0.110 1.530 8 Stop Plano Infinity 0.080 1.470 9 Stop Plano Infinity 0.383 1.480 10 L₄ QT1 −725.052 0.358 1.620 Plastic 1.67 19.4 −55.34 11 39.028 −0.290 1.900 12 Stop Plano Infinity 0.760 1.905 13 L₅ QT1 16.247 0.281 2.150 Plastic 1.57 37.4 308.74 14 17.8 0.631 2.360 15 L₆ QT1 3.628 0.503 3.180 Plastic 1.60 28.3 11.50 16 7.205 1.295 3.420 17 L₇ QT1 −4.684 0.369 4.500 Plastic 1.54 55.9 −4.97 18 6.612 0.366 4.740 19 Filter Plano Infinity 0.2100 6.600 Glass 1.52 64.2 20 Infinity 0.3000 6.600 21 Image Plano Infinity — 6.200 * Reference wavelength is 587.6 nm (d - line) * Units are in mm except for index and Abbe #. HFOV indicates half field of view

TABLE 2 Aspheric Coefficients Surface # R_(norm) A4 A6 A8 A10 2 1.932  9.9940E−03 −4.7500E−03  −2.9987E−03  −9.0698E−04  3 1.932  8.7490E−02 6.5977E−02 2.4979E−02 1.6077E−02 4 1.847  1.1859E−02 6.3506E−02 9.9150E−04 6.1490E−03 5 1.677  5.3358E−02 5.0530E−02 −3.1217E−03  −1.4993E−03  6 1.666  4.9696E−02 5.5310E−02 1.6953E−02 5.2611E−03 7 1.610 −1.3866E−02 2.8507E−02 1.4152E−02 6.3734E−03 10 1.717 −4.2084E−01 −4.7698E−02  −1.6836E−02  −9.1824E−03  11 1.972 −4.8789E−01 2.9587E−02 2.9227E−02 9.8845E−03 13 2.107 −8.3702E−01 −4.1159E−02  2.3372E−02 2.7289E−02 14 2.399 −1.0545E+00 1.1548E−01 8.9981E−03 4.5560E−03 15 3.049 −2.8037E+00 2.8375E−01 5.5647E−02 −2.1641E−02  16 3.398 −2.3573E+00 3.7757E−01 3.7804E−02 −4.3086E−02  17 4.316  6.5309E−01 8.4437E−01 −4.0343E−01  1.9637E−01 18 4.670 −4.2765E+00 9.9979E−01 −3.6429E−01  2.0098E−01 Surface # A12 A14 A16 A18 A20 2 −3.3763E−04 −8.8742E−05  −5.9283E−05  0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 3  5.9956E−03 5.5077E−03 1.2558E−03 0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 4 −4.1612E−04 2.6196E−03 5.9748E−04 0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 5 −2.6943E−03 −4.6173E−04  −1.5513E−04  0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 6  1.1659E−03 2.5551E−04 5.3420E−05 0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 7  2.6374E−03 8.6554E−04 2.1797E−04 0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 10 −4.7317E−03 −1.8472E−03  −4.5679E−04  0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 11  1.3992E−03 −2.7093E−04  −2.0424E−04  0.0000E+00 0.0000E+00 13  5.2402E−03 9.4540E−04 2.0861E−04 1.8088E−04 0.0000E+00 14 −1.0297E−02 3.1228E−03 4.0339E−03 1.4174E−03 0.0000E+00 15 −1.1934E−02 2.9700E−03 4.8437E−03 −6.6223E−04  −6.9121E−04  16  8.4277E−03 7.9687E−03 3.9145E−03 −3.9617E−03  −8.7507E−04  17 −6.6969E−02 2.4300E−02 −6.4810E−03  1.6529E−03 −1.0244E−04  18 −1.0479E−01 3.6269E−02 −1.0994E−02  4.8537E−03 −4.6735E−04 

Table 3 below summarizes the design characteristics and parameters as they appear in the example listed above. These characteristics help to achieve the goal of a compact lens (i.e. small TTL) with a large image height (i.e. large SDL) and small F number (F#):

TABLE 3 “AA”: AA₁ ≡ TTL/EFL < 1.100, AA₂ ≡ TTL/EFL < 1.090, AA₃ ≡ TTL/EFL < 1.083; “BB”: BB₁ ≡ TTL/SDL < 0.64, BB₂ ≡ TTL/ SDL < 0.63, BB₃ ≡ TTL/SDL < 0.61; “CC”: Lens 1 is convex on object side; “DD”: the CA of Lens 3 or Lens 4 is the smallest of all element CAs; “EE”: power sign sequence: +−+−++−; “FF”: The central thickness (CT) of at least 6 of the 7 lens elements complies with: FF₁ = CT/TTL < 0.07; “GG”: The T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with: GG₁ ≡ T_STD/ CT < 0.11, GG₂ ≡ T_STD/CT < 0.1; “HH”: The T_STD of at least 3 of the 7 lens elements complies with: HH₁ ≡ T_STD/ CT < 0.065, HH₂ ≡ T_STD/CT < 0.05; “II” Sign of z(r) from z(0.85*D/2) to z(D/2) is positive for surfaces LO₁, LI₁, LO₂, LI₂, and negative for surfaces LO₄, LI₄, LO₅, LI₅, LO₆, LI₆, LO₇, LI₇; “JJ”: JJ₁ ≡ f₁/EFL < 0.95, JJ₂ ≡ f₁/EFL < 0.9, JJ₃ ≡ f₁/EFL < 0.85; “KK”: KK₁ ≡ |f₅/EFL| > 4.0, KK₂ ≡ |f₅/EFL| > 6.0, KK₃ ≡ |f₅/EFL| > 8.0; “LL”: LL₁ ≡ |f₆/EFL| > 15.0, LL₂ ≡ |f₆/EFL| > 30.0, LL₂ ≡ |f₆/EFL| > 45.0; “MM”: Gap between Lens 1 and Lens 2 that complies with: MM₁ ≡ G_STD < 0.015, MM₂ ≡ G_STD < 0.01 and MM₃ ≡ G_STD < 0.007; “NN”: for the given SDL (12 mm), 0 ≤ FOV < 82.1 degrees.

In summary, various lens assembly embodiments disclosed herein have or fulfill different design characteristics and parameters listed in the Tables above. While this disclosure describes a limited number of embodiments, it will be appreciated that many variations, modifications and other applications of such embodiments may be made. In general, the disclosure is to be understood as not limited by the specific embodiments described herein, but only by the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A lens assembly comprising: from an object side to an image side, a) seven lens elements numbered L1-L7; b) an optical window; and d) an image sensor having a sensor diagonal length (SDL), wherein the lens assembly has a total track length TTL that includes the optical window, an effective focal length EFL and a field of view (FOV)<90 degrees, wherein TTL/EFL<1.100, wherein TTL/SDL<0.64, wherein a normalized thickness standard deviation constant T_STD and a central thickness CT of at least three of the seven lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.065, and wherein a focal length f₁ of lens element L1 fulfills f₁/EFL<0.95.
 2. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein D/2 is an aperture radius and wherein a sign of z(r) from z(0.85*D/2) to z(D/2) is positive for surfaces LO₁, LI₁ of L1 and surfaces LO₂, LI₂ of L2, and negative for surfaces LO₄, LI₄ of L4, LO₅, LI₅ of L5 LO₆, LI₆ of L6 and LO ₇, LI₇ of L7.
 3. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein each element has a clear aperture (CA) and wherein a CA of lens elements L3 or L4 is the smallest of all CAs in the lens assembly.
 4. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/EFL<1.090.
 5. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/EFL<1.083.
 6. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/SDL<0.63.
 7. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein TTL/SDL<0.61.
 8. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein lens element L1 is convex on the object side.
 9. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the lens elements have, starting with lens element L1, a power sign sequence of positive-negative-positive-negative-positive-positive-negative.
 10. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the CT of at least 6 of the 7 lens elements complies CT/TTL<0.07.
 11. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.11.
 12. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the T_STD of at least 5 of the 7 lens elements complies with T_STD/CT<0.10.
 13. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein T_STD/CT<0.05.
 14. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein f₁/EFL<0.9.
 15. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein f₁/EFL<0.85;
 16. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>4.0.
 17. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>6.0.
 18. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f₅ of lens element L5 fulfills If₅/EFLI>8.0.
 19. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>15.0.
 20. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>30.0.
 21. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a focal length f₆ of lens element L6 fulfills f₆/EFLI>45.0.
 22. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.015.
 23. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.01.
 24. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein a normalized gap standard deviation constant G_STD of a gap between lens elements L1 and L2 complies with G_STD<0.007.
 25. The lens assembly of claim 1, wherein SDL=12 mm and wherein FOV<82.1 degrees. 